Feed device for centrifugal separators.



O. H. HAOKEIT & T. W. MORGAN. FEED DEVICE FOR 'GBNTRIPUGAL SEPARATORS. APPLICATION FILED, APR.13, 1908.

9675372, Patented Aug. 16,1910.

UNITED STATES PAEENT CHARLES H. HACKETT AND THOMAS W. MORGAN, OF WATERLOO, IOWA, ASSIG-NORS TO WILBUR W. MARSH, OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

FEED DEVICE FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 19101,

Application filed April 13, 1908. Serial No. 426,658.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'we, Crrnnnns H. HACK.- ET'I and Trronns \V. MORGAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Waterloo, in the county-of Blackhawk and State of Iowa,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed Devices for Centrifugal Separators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The invention relates to centrifugal cream separators but more especially to the feeding device for regulating the flow of milk into theseparator bowl.

The primary object of the invention is to secure an improved form of feeding device for centrifugal cream separators adapted to produce a uniform flow of milk into the separator bowl. i

A further object of the invention is to produce an improved'fornr of feeding device for centrifugal cream separators which shall be simple and efficient in construction and adapted to dischargea uniform stream of fluid unchanged by a circular or gyrating movement within the supply cup or conduitwhich feeds into the bowl.

still further object of the invention is to provide a .tioat controlled feeding device of the character described with im Jroved means whereby a uniform flow of fluic from the feeding device may be secured, said flow being unchanged by a vortex formed in the feedrup or conduit by a circular or gyratory movement of the fluid.

It has been observed that when milk is discharged into the feed or supply cup, particularly when the flow from the cup is con trolled by a' float, that the milk is apt to take a circular or gyratory movement within the cup and this movement interfereswith the uniform flow from the cup even when the discharge hole therein is made with the greatest accuracy. Under such conditions the flow from the cup may be found to assume the form of a fan shape and in an instant change int a snake-like movement as it drops from the cup, and again it is observed to change into a kind of s raying movement, dro ping from the cup li 'e rain. Observations have shown that these various changes in the low of milk upon being discharged from the cup are due to the circular or gyratory movement by which the milk is formed in a vortex in the cup itself. It is found that when this circular or gvratory movement of the milk within the cup is stopped the flow from the cupbecomes uniform, tube-like in form, and the quantity discharged varies little or none at all, while left uncontrolled in the cup to take on a clrcular or gyratory movement, the dis charge varies greatly.

When the feed or flow of milk to the bowl is not uniform in quantity itis found that the density of the cream is affected, that the bowl is apt to clog and an improper separation of the fluidis likely to result. The two elements which enter into the proper separation of milkare time and pressure and both can 'be estimated when there is an even feed of the supply into the bowl. If, however, the supply is dimmished, the length of time that the fluid is under pressure is increased, and if the supply is increased, the length of time that the liquid is under pressure is decreased. \Vhen variations in either direction occur a change in the density of the cream occurs or the other difiiculties enumerated are likely to be the result.

In the development of the centrifugal separator during the past few years the tend ency has been toward the use of smaller l)0\\'l:i. For example, it is only '2), comparetively short. time since a separator bowl necessary to skim five. hundred pounds of milk per hour carried when filled to a norn'ially operative degree, forty-live to sixty ounces of milk, while at the present time abowl normally -arryiug only from six to fifteen ounces of milk is employed to skim a like quantity or a like number of pounds per hour. When the size of the bowl is decreased, the prcssuro of air on the bowl andconscqueutly thefriction is proportionately decreased and a lighter running machine to do a given amount of work is securci't. It was a comparatively easy thing to feed tluid into a bowl of such large capacity as formerly used where the amount. ofwork to be done was proportionately so limited. But it is found that with the use of smaller bowls new problems have arisen, one of which is the necessity for securing an in1- proved feeding device adapted to supply the fluid to the bowl in a uniform stream and to secure an improved device capable of satis factorily performing this desirable result is the chief object of the invention.

To the attainment of these ends and the iio - s uppo'rting-the cu in relation to the bowl,

accomplishment of other new and useful objects, the invention consists in the features of-novelty hereinafter described, pointed out .more specifically in the appended claims 5 and shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

Fi re 1 is a plan view of a feed cup pro? vide with a float to which the invention is .shown applied. Fig.2 is a sectional view of the device as it appears in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section on line 7 7, Fig. 2.

-.The reference character 10 indicates a feed cup of ordinary construction, the bottom ofwhich is provided with a discharge 1.5, orifice, as indicated at 11. These feed cups or conduits appear 'inthe centrifugal separator art in a variety of forms. The invention may be applied to any common form of cup or conduit. In this embodiment of the invention, no specific means is shown for but the cups may e supported in a variety of ways, as for example, secured to the top of the casing surrounding the bowl.

Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, is a float of ordinaryform, and 16 a vane extending upwardly fromthe center thereof'adapted to enter the discharge nozzle or spout from a supply can or tank. This float is designed to operate in the usual manner to control the dischar e of fluid from the supply can into the fee cup, the flow into the feed cup bein regulated by the risin and falling of the oat, the member -16 i ing the float so that it may vary the disc arge of fluid from the sup ly can as it-iiises and falls within thefee cup.

The partition or-waltindicated by the reference character l'Z is shown: secured to the bottom of the float and is consequent-1y adapted to-rise and fall therewith. To prevent the rotation .of {the member 17 within the cup, suitable guides=-l 8'a re" 'secured to the 45 walls of the cup 1l.'.To prevent the device from becoming inoperative as the mem- 17. rises and falls with the float, the "tongue, as indicated at'19, is formed on the member 17 preferably integral therewith 50 iarid 'projectsjinto and'below the mouth of ,the dlscharge, orifice so that as the float rises ,ortion-of the depending tongue 19 will i remain'adjacent the orifice andcheck "tendency toward" gyratory or circular .In the form of the invention shown 'in I movement the fluid may have in passing through the discharge orifice.

It will be apparent that wi h a feed cup provided with a wall or parti ion near the bottom thereof and adjacent the discharge orifice that it will be impossible for fluid within the cup to have a circulatory or gyratory movement, particularly at the mo ment of discharge and it is found that with a device constructed as described, a uniform and steady flow of the fluid through the discharge orifice into the bowl is secured.

In order that the invention might be fully understood the details of the preferred embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described, and it will be a parent that many modifications may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the purpose and spirit of theinvention, but

What we claim.is

1. The combination in a feed tank pro vided with a feed orifice, of a partition or wall located in relation to the orifice so as to prevent the gyration of fluids passin through the same, and a float within sue-ii tank secured to and supporting the partition. v

2. The combination in a feed tank vided with a feed orifice, of a partition or wall located in relation to the orifice soas to prevent the gyration of fluids passing propartition.

3. In a feed device for centrifugal separators, in cdmbination, a conduit or receptacle provided. with a feed orifice, a float, and a'partition or wall within the conduit or' receptacle and secured against rotation on an axlal line substantially parallel with the general direction of movement of the fluid through the said device, whereby the gymtion of fluids within the conduit or receptacle may be prevented.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 9th day of April A. D. 1908.

CHARLES H. HAOKETT. THOMAS W. MORGAN.

through the same, guides for such partition, and a float within the tank supporting such 

